Me: Aren’t your crime and incarceration rates are really low? Don’t you have universal health care and an absence of obesity?

Japan: Yeah, but last years’ numbers weren’t good at all. Just look at those graphs.

Me: You’ve got low rates of teenage pregnancy and mental illness. You’ve got the best public transport infrastructure on earth that can take people to all corners of you quickly and cleanly.

Japan: Yeah, look, you’re totally missing the point.

Me: Sure, you’re not perfect and your financial system isn’t anywhere within driving distance of being in awesome tip-top shape, apparently, but all of the above has continued whilst your economy has “faltered” and “stuttered”. Daily life is still pretty comfortable isn’t it? Has any of this really changed? How have you suffered?

Japan: Well, i’ve been left behind. China’s now the second biggest economy in the world. I’m number three.

Me: And?

Japan: Well, they’ve overtaken me.

Me: So?

Japan: So, well, erm, their economy is bigger than mine.

Me: And that means it’s a better place to live?

Japan: China? God no. Have you seen it? It’s a fantastic mess.

Me: Right.

Japan: But their graphs do look good. I mean, you can’t beat looking at an economic graph and statistics for finding out how nice a country is to live in, can you?

Me: Have you ever thought of looking at some other graphs and statistics?

Like this:

Related

30 Comments

Very cleverly written. People look at a country’s economic forecast (and stats) in order to determine how it fares or ranks in the world, but perhaps the well-being (via a well-being index which is starting to be used in Canada) of the people who live in that country is a better indicator…..Congrats in being FP!

Somehow, the desperately poor (who are far more affected by economic stagnation than the average person) never factor into these commentaries…I mean, as long as the middle and upper classes are dtill doing fine, who really cares, right?…

The only problem is on the horizon. Not enough babies being born to replace the elderly moving in to the system.In the end, a shrinking work force will still have to pay for taking care of these centenarians.

I think the important distinction is between simply the economy and the socio-economy. The economy as a whole takes into account a whole lot of factors, from GDP to employment – and while on the face of it, particularly in the media, the focus is on increase in economic growth, there certainly is scope to look at a country’s unemployment rate and assess the strength of the economy. Socio-economic analysis however looks at the relationship between the economy and society. Your brilliantly written post brings into focus that integral relationship and the requirement for governments to look further into the interaction between economic policies and society as a collection of self-interested individuals.

Interesting blog! USA sure could use some pointers and help in this area at this time. Most of the time nations have looked up to us , but now seem to be looking down on us. I think the world is in an economic crisis including Japan. Hopefully the leaders of these nations can work it out and turn the tide!

LOL i love the back and forth of this. Very creative and well written. I give you props on the level of creativity you served here. i think quality of life has dramatically reduced here (USA) compared to the rest of the world.